Rural Industrialization Programme RIP (2004-2005):

A program sponsored by DIC, Government of Karnataka & SIDBI, for women & men, was carried out in Bijapur & Bagalkot District in two phases for a period of 36 months.

• Aimed at creating entrepreneurship awareness & networking.
• Over 250 enterprises have been established in different sectors generating a total employment of 15,000.
• With the experience of implementing of RIP in Bijapur and Bagalkot AWAKE has initiated RIP in Shimoga District. The program is supported by SIDBI & DIC. The project office is located at: Shop No. 5, Mathura Arcade, Balraj Urs Road, Shimoga.

Enterprise Learning Network (2004-2005):

Initiative (ELN) was focused on the garment sector. It aimed at providing Best Practice Learning & Commercial Linkages to all enterprises at all levels in the Garment Sector including skill training & export facilitation. AWAKE has developed a model & has the tools to take up similar projects in other sectors.

Karnataka Watershed Development Society (KAWAD) (2004-2005):

 A non land based intervention at Chinnahagari Watershed area, Molakalmuru Taluk – Chitradurga District, with the support of Karnataka Watershed Development Society (KAWAD) and Department for International Development (DFID), U.K.

AWAKE during pril 2002 entered into a MOU with KAWAD for promoting sustainable economic activities in the watershed development area at Chinnahagari, Molakalmuru Taluk, Chitradurga District.

As part of improving degraded lands & poverty alleviation KAWAD had commenced land based activities & formation of Self Help Groups through various NGOs in the three districts of Karnataka at Bijapur, Bellary & Chitradurga. KAWAD is pursuing three different models at Bijapur it is Department of State Government & NGO partnership, at Bellary it is & NGO partnership & at Chitradurga it is NGO – NGO partnership.

AWAKEs intervention was primarily to empower & develop entrepreneurial inclination amongst the poor of the poor. AWAKE as part of its endeavor trained 533 SHG members in 16 batches selected from 113 Self Help Groups in the aspects of entrepreneurship. The general EDP training commenced in July 2002 and was completed in February 2003. AWAKE also provided skill skill training in tailoring, dairying etc. As part of its intervention, SHG members were assisted in the preparation of project proposals with the involvement of self help groups, and further, with the involvement of local NGO’s & KAWAD, financial assistance was provided to the trainees to enable them to commence small enterprises. Financial assistance has been released to around 158 entrepreneurs and all of them have started different enterprises in the sectors of Manufacturing. Services and Small Business and IGA – like dairying etc., this represents the initial settlement rate of about 29%. Follow- up activities are in full swing. The remaining trainees are in the process of seeking financial assistance and commencement of projects.

A Pilot Project for Rehabilitation of Beedi Workers - Mangalore (2004-2005):

AWAKE in association with ILO has implemented this pilot project with an objective of promoting alternate livelihood options t women, whose present occupation is rolling Beedi, at Mangalore. The target groups are women who have organized themselves into S elf – Help groups with the intervention of local NGOs working in the districts of South Canara. One of the major component of the pilot project is to envisage identification of entrepreneurial activities with relevance to local resources & skills & non traditional activities with marketing potential with a view to ensure that their livelihoods promoted are sustainable.

The pilot project also has the objective of developing capacities of the local NGOs in conducting Entrepreneurship Development Programs to identified SHG members so that their intervention can effectively continue even after the withdrawal of the resource organization which provides inputs to the prospective.

SWASHAKTI (2004-2005):

SWASHAKTI, a project for empowerment of women sponsored by World Bank and IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development) and implemented by Karnataka State Women Development Corporation ( KSWDC) has identified AWAKE as a training agency for training the NGOs and SHGs in 4 districts- Chitradurga, Kolar, Bellary and Tumkur.

REDP (2006-2007):

After successfully conducting 1 month rural entrepreneurship development program in Bijapur & Shimoga, NABARD has requested us to take up similar activities in the district of Kolar, Mandya, Hassan, Tumkur & Gadag. 30 participants will have to be given EDP training, after conducting awareness program and interview them.

Business Incubator for food processing (2006-2007):

 Business incubator, the first of its kind in ASIA, supports development of women owned enterprises in Food Processing. This facility was set up in 1992, with the financial assistance from Small Industries development Bank of India (SIDBI), building from Directorate of Industries & Commerce, Government of Karnataka, Center for Technology Development (CTD) and plant & machinery from USAID.

SUJALA 1 st and 2nd PHASE (August 2004-March 2005):

 The Watershed Development Department of Karnataka, very successfully implemented the World Bank aided SUJALA Watershed Development Project during the first phase. The services of the professional specialist agencies were engaged in order to empower the vulnerable families to take up income generation activities or to set up micro enterprises. AWAKE was one of the specialist agencies selected. AWAKE started implementing the project during January 2004 & completed it successfully during June 2004.

For implementation of the second phase of the SUJALA project, Watershed Department, called for Expression of Interest – EOI during the month of June 2004. Accordingly AWAKE submitted the Expression of Interest for the second phase of the SUJALA project to conduct the EDP under the IGA activity.